The SSG Landers of the Korea Baseball Organization announced an agreement with former big league first baseman Kevin Cron (h/t to Dan Kurtz of MyKBO). The 28-year-old will receive $750K guaranteed with an additional $250K in possible incentives.
It’s the second consecutive season Cron will spend overseas, although it’ll be his first in South Korea. The former Diamondback spent the 2021 campaign with the Hiroshima Carp of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball, slumping to a .231/.270/.431 line over 137 plate appearances.
Cron, the younger brother of Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron, will try to right the ship in his first crack at KBO pitching. He’s certainly capable of better than he showed with the Carp as the owner of a .319/.405/.651 line across two seasons at Triple-A. Cron has briefly appeared in parts of two major league seasons, combining to log 98 plate appearances over 47 games with Arizona from 2019-20.
I’m thinking that SSG sees what I see: a power bat that can draw walks and usually limits strikeouts better than he did last year. The power still showed up, the plate discipline was disgusting last year though so I’d be more nervous about Cron than say trying to convince Jamie Romak to come out of retirement as Romak’s issues were mainly babip related. That said, Cron could really blossom in the KBO.
Almost every KBO and NPB teams IMHO usually seeking a power bat from a foreign player. Him and DJ Peters are logical signing for every KBO and NPB teams. Thats why Im kinda suprise the Yakult Swallows extend the contract for Jose Osuna. No hate for Osuna, it just his production number were modest for a team who seeking a power hitter. Domingo Santana in other hand, was close to the team expectation. But Its the Yakult Swallows i guess, the team that seeking power hitter then choose to sign Alcides Escobar that only make 1HR in 377AB for Yakult in 2020
Such a shame he couldn’t carry on that ridiculous 2019 season to the MLB. I had hoped an AL team would pick him up from the Dbacks and give him a longer look. The power potential seemed ridiculous.
The power is there but Cron, in the MLB, couldn’t hit breaking balls. I don’t know what they throwed at him in Japan, but to me it seems he still has the same issue. He got your wish of a “longer look” overseas and apparently he hasn’t solved his problems of hitting breaking balls.
Sounds like Pedro Cerano.
Japanese Pitchers throw a lot breaking ball. Since they FB usually only tops low 90s (91-93 AVG). Thats why when some High School kid can throw 96-97 fastball in HS Tournament / Koshien, they usually Will earn a lot of attention
No matter his baseball flaws, Cron is getting paid a million dollar salary for a season. At the end of the day we all wish to get paid well… Good for him…
Prediction Cron in kbo
251 19 Hr 62 RBI